Oasis Sunday Night Mind Dump

It's about 8PM Sunday night and my mind is still racing! Time for a bit of a mind dump so I can kick back and enjoy a little time with my wife tonight and looking forward to a day off tomorrow!

• Awesome services today! I love being a team with my incredible wife, Caryl. I am so blessed to have a female pastor who does ministry by my side! Today she continued our series "The Sickness Within" and tackled Bitterness!
• Thank-you to Kim Isaac for your bravery and courage to tell your story today as a part of the message! Your honesty & openness was moving and will encourage many to tackle the roots of their bitterness!
• Two big weeks of events are finally over - Founder's Day & Oktoberfest - both in Maricopa. Thank you for the tireless volunteers who helped to organize and staff these events. We are sure to see the benefits for months to come.
• Salvation in the house - last week and this week - salvation! It's why we exist. It is why we do what we do! Let's take the next steps to help these new believers to learn the path of discipleship.
• Baptism - 4 individuals got baptized in the spa in my backyard. Over 80 people came to have a potluck and witness this event. I love the stories, the diversity and the hand of God in the journey. From the innocence of an 8 yr old to the intellectual, now convinced, teen to the 30-something couple full of love for a Savior - now living in radical abandon for Christ - the power of God is evident. I love hearing people tell their story and how good for the soul to see their public commitment.
• Praying for the MANY who are looking for jobs right now. I pray that God will miraculously open doors that they did not know were there. Be their provision and their foundation.
• Excited about the 17 individuals or families that are in their 3rd week of Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace University at Oasis. This is very timely. In fact Caryl and I have decided to switch-up our next series that begins Sunday Nov 9th to talk about MONEY. This is something that we all are interested in and something we all need to put into perspective - God's perspective.
• Looking forward to getting out of town this week with a friend - if just for a day! Refreshing.....
• Oasis - we love you! It is so incredible to see the community that is developing. You have overwhelming love....oh, how can it be? Only those who have been set free can love so freely.
• We have been forgiven much...so we must forgive much as well - this was what God spoke to our hearts today. Be blessed this week- Pastor Scott

Tithing - so does it still apply in the New Testament times?

Economic doom all around! People are running from falling stocks faster than a gazelle searching for meat!

So - as Christians, we ask - on what have we built our house? Is God not our provider? Do the economic principles of the Bible not teach us to avoid debt and prepare for the future? Should I be tithing or even giving in a time like this? I've had to examine my heart and I've also been having a lot of conversations with people lately regarding this topic. I think the fact that economic uncertainty is "the topic" lends itself to reviewing our principles.

I hear a lot of talk about tithing being an Old Testament(OT) law or fact. But I am reminded that in the New Testament (NT) we see Jesus saying, "I have come not to abolish the law, but rather to fulfill it" ( Matt 5:16-18 ) . The fulfillment of the law seems to be a heart issue. Murder is not just killing another person but hating your brother. Adultery is no longer just have sexual relations with someone other than your spouse, it is lusting in your heart.

With this new fulfillment of the law, I'm convinced that tithing or giving to Kingdom work did not get diminished. Like all the other fulfillments of the law it too should be a raising the bar, not lowering it. Besides, if you add up tithes, offerings, first fruits and more - weren't they already giving way more than 10% in the OT?

I'm also reminded that this is about stewardship. We can't expect that just because we give 10% we will automatically or magically be rewarded. We can't expect that if we continue to live in debt, beyond our means and with no constraint that our 10% will make up for it. It is the whole package!

Bottom line - God is our provider. He set up an economic plan that could be sustained. Is He not the same, yesterday, today and tomorrow? I challenge you - check your heart and with all sincerity ask God what he would have you do with your money? Would he tell you to hoard it all for yourself? Has he not promised that if you are faithful to bring the tithe (& offerings, etc) that he will be faithful to you? Has he asked you to get your financial house in order? If he asked us to test Him in the time of Malachi - would he not ask us the same today?

Does the tithe still apply? I'd love to hear your responses!

I Wanna Blog Like Perry Noble!

I want to blog like Perry Noble - I cannot lie - the content and the volume that this visionary, pastor, leader produces just blows my mind!! So - tonight as I flip between late night shows, Facebook, Twitter, TweetDeck, email and random searches on Google - I ask - how can I blog like Perry Noble?

For one - I would have to become a consistent blogger - I love that he blogs 5 days every week ! So - hmmm... he must put in on his schedule. Ok - I think can do that!

Next - he speaks his mind, he mind dumps - lots of reflections - I've already begun that but I'm still learning. So - what would you like to hear about? What can I do better?

Then - it's about the content. What I see is that he attacks lots of leadership issues and delves into topics from the Word of God. He also tells the story of what is happening at NewSpring Church. I'm confident that as my walk with God moves forward, as Oasis grows and as I surrender to the Spirit of God - there will be something to say. I guess that I've just held back because I'm not sure that anybody is really following what I say anyway. I'm learning that I really need to be myself, be obedient to what God is doing in me - and then write it down. If influence or "followers" come - it will come at the hand of God.

This past week - I spoke about "Envy" and I had to check my motives before I wrote this entry. I have to admit that via the web, via twitter - I had begun to have some pastor envy. However, I can honestly say that I love what Perry does. I say - go for it - get better and better! You are encouraging a whole new generation of pastors and leaders. I rejoice with you in your success in the Kingdom! Keep it up - I am learning so much and so..... and yes, I do want to blog like Perry Noble!